West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1887-02-17
A FROZEN-LAND
sixty DEGREES BELOW ZERO.
t"''ic Dying by Hundreds OF TX
posure-Snow Eight Feet Deep
ON n Levcl--StarVation Rap
idly EStcrminating the
Indians.


The winter OF 1867 viii long bo remem-
bored throughout the Northwest Tor the ex-
rSme severity OF tho temperature and unusual
hepth OF snow Tho severe weather started
IN soon after tho holidays. From january @
TO III the degree of cold was something fright.
ful Mercury Thermometers wero ofton con-
g"aled ami spirit Thermometers were kept
busy jumping from 80 60 60 degrees below
zorro. Half n dozsp times has the GO-legreo
notch been touched, and onco this season
U3 l-2 degrees below zero has bosn scored ON
the Saskatchewan plains. But the authori,
ties IN weather in this country are tho In
dams. Tho olle,t members OF tho Crow
tribo say there have have fow such winters
ns tho present one since thoy settled in tho
Yellowstone Valley.
THIS year tho snowfall is unprcoedented
In some localities Il is anywhere from ten TO
hfty deep. On tho level throughout the Ma
tional park and elsewhere 10 is from 20 10
rect deep and on tho dead level prairie from
IL to 40 inches. or course such n heavy fal,
must bring moro or less suffering and death.
In tho mining regions west, torrible
freezings have occurred but fortunately with
little loss OF life. Tho Indians seem TO have
caught IL harder than any other human crea-
lures in tho country A band
OF British CrV9 Indians came across tho line
last fall and while the weather was nna
camped in the mountains between tho forks
OF tho Sut river. An unusual snow follow
cd, and the wretched creatures became PEN
ned In by the icy wall. From seventy the
number was reduced to nny-one 10y starya-
tion, when white mon hunted them up and
brought relief. Tho loss among cattle was
terrific. Many were frozen In their stables.
Snow began falling In the eddie of No
vomber, and there Is now more on the ground
than at any time during the past ten years.
Most OF the stage roads are entirely closed
and trains are running at irregular inter-
yalS some hoing four or five days apart.
The supply of fuel is almost exhausted.
Three days ago coal was selling at 500 ton
at Fort Benton, and now IL can hardly be
pur chased at all The snow is drifted 20
enourm)us depths, and the people living M
mountain bases are I'm imminent danger OF
meeting a horrible fate beneath an avalanche
or OF freezing TO death.
Should another protracted storm occur 10
IL beloved that hundreds would succumb 10
IL. In the vicinity OF the Little Jennie and
Grand Centro' mines, ON Bal Mountain, the
snow is eight feet deop on the level, and
travel Is imp ossibe except on snow shoes.
The unusually severe winter, and the large
amount OF snow on tho Missouri slope
from the Ysllowstone country to Omaha, are
the causes OF grave apprehension OF over,
flows aud inundatiCns of the bottom lands
along the river for 2)) miles above and bo-
low the city. The river is worry low, and
where there is no current the ice measures
iivo feet in thickness The Indians who
make their homes in the Missouri bottom,
above this city are )ving to tho hills, ss.
serting that tho water will be higher than at
any time since 1881, when II covered the low.
lands for thirty. five days.